


The Watchers

by themightytej



Series: The Watchers [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23532310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themightytej/pseuds/themightytej
Summary: A mysterious visitor arrives at the bakery with questions for Marinette.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: The Watchers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693471
Comments: 17
Kudos: 19





	1. Introduction

The weekend morning rush had been over for nearly an hour, giving Tom and Sabine time to focus on cleaning the bakery and finishing orders for later in the day, when the bell on the door rang. Sabine slipped out from the back to find a large man in a suit, holding a clipboard, and watching her without even a glance to the fresh bread laid tantalizingly around him.

“Good morning!” she said, wiping her hands on her apron. “How can I help you?”

“Good morning, miss. I’m sorry, but I was actually looking for a young woman named Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who I’m told lives at this address?” Sabine straightened up and looked up into his eyes with a kind, but unwavering, stare.

“What do you need with my daughter?”

“Ah, good, then I am in the right place,” he said, smiling. “I work for the security firm contracted by Montparnasse Tower. Your daughter was recently on a school trip there when an akumatization happened on site, and we are just interviewing potential witnesses in our attempts to improve visitor safety.” He held up the clipboard as if to indicate that it would explain the details he had left unsaid, revealing a security badge with his picture clipped to the paperwork.

“Oh! Well, I’ll see if she’s gone out yet,” Sabine said. With a quick smile and nod she was off, heading for the stairs to their apartment above. She paused only briefly to tell her husband who it was in the front of the store, and he confirmed that he had not seen Marinette leave to meet her friends.

In fact, Marinette was busy in her room, designing a cover for Kitty Section’s first release at Luka’s request. Tikki was giving her input on her color selection when she heard the door behind Marinette begin to open and dove into the purse.

“Marinette!”

“Yeah, Mom?” Marinette called, turning around as her mother’s face rose above the level of the floor.

“There’s a security guard here to ask about your experiences at the Montparnasse Tower.”

“Oh, uh, sure! I’ll be right down!”

“Now, Marinette, I hope you know that if you don’t feel comfortable talking to him, your father and I can turn him away.”

“No! No, it’s okay, I promise. I was just busy thinking about this is all,” she said, pointing to her design.

“Okay. But I know seeing an akumatization can be difficult, and if you want us to stop the interview at any time-”

“Honest, Mom, it’s okay. I didn’t really see much, anyway," she said, smiling and scratching the back of her head, "I doubt I’ll be much help to him.” Sabine agreed and told her she’d send the man to the living room, and slipped back downstairs. Tikki flew out of the purse and around to hover beside Marinette’s face.

“What do you think he wants to know?” Tikki asked.

“I don’t know, and I don’t know what to tell him! What if he knows I’m lying about not seeing anything?”

“Relax, Marinette. You can just tell him your memory was erased, that would at least be true!”

“You’re right, Tikki.” She took a deep breath and stood. “I’ll just focus on that.” Tikki nodded and dove back into the purse, which Marinette slung over her shoulder before leaving her room.


	2. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette learns the intentions of her visitor, while a young man on the other side of town learns the cost of her new knowledge.

She stood in the living room and waited only a few moments before the imposing figure emerged from the stairway. He entered silently and Marinette froze as he stopped just a few feet from her. They both stood staring at each other for a long few moments before he smiled and extended a hand.

“Good morning, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” he said. “My name is Cedríc Chevalier, and I need to talk to you about the Oblivio event.” Marinette looked at his hand briefly before reaching out to accept the gesture.

“Yes, of course,” she said, giggling nervously, “I don’t think there’s much I can tell you, but I’m always glad to help.”

“I’m sure you are. May we sit?” She nodded and indicated the couch, which he then rested on as she pulled up another chair.

“So, what can I tell you?” The man set down his clipboard and glanced toward the stairs. On seeing the stairway was empty and the door at the bottom closed, he reached into his jacket and drew forth a small disc in a clear case.

“It’s actually less about what you can tell me,” he said, holding it up as he turned his gaze back to her, “and more about what I can tell you.”

* * *

Across town, René Dupont sat nervously in an office across from his boss, who laid a paper down on the desk between them.

“You were tasked with making and storing backups for the footage from Montparnasse Tower this week,” the boss said, pointing to a blank spot in the list of records, “and it appears almost the entire Oblivio attack has gone missing.”

"I-I'm sorry, I don't-"

"This is the second Akuma attack that has gone missing under your watch."

"No, wait, I promise, I had those files. I hadn't gotten to watch them yet, but-"

"We cannot tolerate this sort of fumbling, René! Did you allow anyone else access to this information?"

"I didn't! Honestly, I don't know how it could have gone missing!"

"Then we have no one to blame but you."

"No, please, there has to be another option!"

"Unless you can provide some explanation for this, or get the files back, you're finished here!"

"Sir, no, I-I don't know! But please, I need this!"

* * *

Marinette stared at the disc, her eyes wide as she suddenly remembered all the times she and Chat Noir depowered or slipped out identifying information in public buildings, never thinking about the existence of security cameras.

"What...is that?" she asked, trying and failing to act casual.

"If I understand Oblivio's powers correctly, it is your lost memories. Caught on tape and sent to my security firm."

"No, that doesn't-when Ladybug returns everything to normal, she-"

"Does not affect anything that wasn't damaged. But you already know that about your own powers, don't you?" Marinette jumped up from her seat and backed away from him.

"No, what are you talking about? I don't have any powers!"

"Relax. There are a very small number of people who know. We all work in security across the city, and have taken an oath to protect your secret. Usually, records like this are destroyed."

"But not this one?"

"I think you deserve to know what this one contains," he said, setting the disc on the table. "I think you _both_ deserve to know." She paused for a moment, then covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.

"Chat Noir? Has he seen this?" The man shook his head.

"I respect the chain of command, and you are very clearly in charge of this particular operation. This," he said, tapping the disc, "is the only copy of this record in existence. I've seen to that personally."

* * *

The iris shielding Hawk Moth's chamber from the sunlight began to open, sending akuma fluttering around the room as their wings caught the light. In their midst stood Hawk Moth, resting his hands on his cane as he looked out over Paris.

"A man punished for someone else's indiscretion. All he wants is to protect people, but who will protect him? How delightfully painful!" He extended a hand as an akuma landed in it, then cupped his other hand over it and infused it with his power. When he released it again, its black wings shimmered and it took flight. "Fly, my little akuma, and evilize him!"

"Give me a chance!" René cried, standing up and leaning on the desk. "If I go back over everything, maybe I could find it!"

"We've already done that. I'm sorry, but if you don't have any information we don't already know, there's nothing more I can do."

"Just, one day, please!"

"If you do not leave of your own accord, I will have you escorted out." The boss handed him a letter detailing his apparent misconduct. "Goodbye, René." The young man hung his head, then stood back up and stormed out of the office. On his way down the stairs, the akuma merged with the paper and he stopped.

"Watcher, I am Hawk Moth," the villain said as a line of communication was opened. "They have robbed you of the chance to prove your innocence! I give you the power to uncover that which has been hidden, and pry secrets from those who use them against you! In return, you must bring me the Miraculous from Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"I will find them for you, Hawk Moth. I will find everything!" he cried, as black energy bubbled over his entire body.

* * *

"This is everything that happened, when I lost my memory?" Marinette asked, picking up the disc and sitting back down.

"When you both lost your memories. And two other...things. Plagg? Tikki, you called them?"

"You know about the kwami, too?"

"If that's what they are. You were clearly talking to _something_ , but the cameras never picked them up." She looked at the disc, thinking through her options. "Look, you don't have to decide what to do with this right now. But you _do_ have to decide, and I have to tell you, I think you and your partner need to watch it."

"And why is that?"

"Aside from some very telling things you said and did, the fact is that you both carry a heavy burden, and no one really understands what that means but the two of you. It is apparent to me that you don't have any relationship outside of work, so to speak, and that makes me think you have no way to talk about this stuff when you actually have time to process it."

"We can't know. It isn't safe."

"Is it safe to keep all of this stress to yourself? To have no one to talk to about the things you see out there?" She opened her mouth as if to reply, then sighed and looked back at the disc.

"I...I don't know," she finally whispered. His phone began to ring, and he sat up and answered it.

"Hello? Well, no, I'm...an akuma attack?" he asked, glancing up at her. She took a deep breath and began listening, as he stood and turned away. "At the office? Yeah, I'll be right there, for whatever that's worth." He turned back and locked eyes with Marinette. "Well, if I'm honest, I hope the heroes get there before I do." She nodded and ran up to her room.

"What are you going to do about the video?" Tikki asked, flying out of her purse.

"I don't know yet," Marinette answered, tucking the disc into her purse, "but we'll have to deal with it later. Tikki! Spots on!"


End file.
